Shaving comfort is defined as smoothness of the shaving stroke. The ultimate objective is to gain the closest possible shave, without abrading the skin. Several factors must be considered to provide maximum closeness, smoothness and comfort. The most crucial factors are: (1) softness of facial hairs; (2) keenness of the razor blades; (3) facial hair orientation relative to the skin surface and razor blades; and (4) maximum lubrication to remove friction between the moving razor head and skin, and to render the skin surface so slippery that abrasion by the moving blade is eliminated.
The cutting edge of the razor blades must be very keen to provide the most efficient cutting of facial hair. Closely associated with razor keenness is facial hair orientation relative to skin surface. Facial hair should be standing as normal as possible to the user's face and razor blades such that a minimum cross-section is presented to the blade. In other words, the hair should protrude substantially perpendicular to or at a substantially ninety degree angle relative to the skin surface. Such hair orientation affords enhanced comfort and cutting efficiency due to less surface area of hair to be cut. The most successful and widely used method employed to hold facial hair erect is through the use of shaving foam or gel. Note, however, that shaving foam has many other purposes in addition to facial hair orientation (e.g., medicated, scented, moisturizers), namely softening of facial hair.
An additional factor involved with the efficient cutting of facial hair is the temperature of the water on the skin surface. The warmer the water on the user's face, the softer the facial hair becomes which complements the function of the present invention.
Natural friction between the moving razor head and skin surface must be minimized to avoid locally distorting the skin thus leaning the hair away as the blade approaches. Maximum lubrication of the skin must be present to minimize the friction, and to lubricate the skin so that the blade edge will "slide" instead of "cut" the skin. When the friction is reduced, and maximum lubrication is provided, nicks and razor abrasion are also reduced which promotes shaving comfort. The degree of lubrication depends on the amount of lubricant which is activated in place when the blade moves across the skin. Diluted lubricant does not prevent razor burn.
Various usages of razors, especially disposable razors, shaving foams, water and selected lubricants for facilitating the removal of facial hair from the surface of a user's face, are commonly known. Most commonly, a user will wet his face and apply shaving foam, cream or gel thereto before stroking the razor blades across the face. On application, the foam must be quite dry, or it will not hold its position on the face. The water, which is retained in the dampness of the face and which clings to the razor body, interacts with the shaving foam to soften the user's facial hairs and to hold them erect thus promoting easier cutting thereof by the razor blades. Dilute lubricants may be embodied in the foam to interact with the water and lubricate the user's face to effect unabrasive movement of the razor blades thereacross.
However, the major problem with using shaving foams having lubricants therein is that the amount of lubricant and water retained on the user's face is minimal. Water has a tendency to: (1) combine with the foam; (2) evaporate; and (3) run-off due to gravitation, thus negating its lubricating effectiveness. Hence, lubrication of the skin must be maximized and remain constant to avoid nicks and abrasion, therefore water must remain constant or be constantly applied.
A diluted pre-shave "water-based" lubricant (i.e., a lubricant that contains water) which depends on facial wetness loses much of its desired lubricating effectiveness when shaving foam is applied thereon and combined therewith. The comparatively dry foam, when applied to the pre-shave water-based lubricant, wicks the wet lubricant from the user's face making the face highly vulnerable to skin abrasion. The diluted lubricant will provide reduced lubrication.
A more successful attempt to maintain the lubricant and shaving foam in a hydrated form was the development of water and/or lubricant dispersing razors which supply a quantity of water or lubricant to the user's face adjacent to the blades. Exemplary of such razors is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,120,940, issued to Minassian, which includes a reservoir superjacent the blades whereby water seeps from the reservoir and onto the blades. Another example of such razors is U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,432, issued to Schauble. Schauble includes a hollow handle having emollient stored therein and discharged therefrom adjacent the blades. A similar razor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,273, issued to Olsson, which has a fluid containing reservoir in the handle and means for dispersing the fluid therefrom and onto a razor blade. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,882, issued to Harrison, Sr., discloses a razor having a shaving-liquid reservoir.
Harrison's reservoir includes a filling tube which opens to the atmosphere proximal the razor's handle. It is sealed once the reservoir is full of shaving liquid. In addition, a "very small breather duct" extends through the wall of the reservoir into the atmosphere to let air escape while the reservoir is being filled. The breather duct is so small that the surface tension of the shaving liquid will not permit the liquid to pass through the duct. No amount of movement, rotation or shaking of the reservoir will overcome the surface tension thus allowing shaving liquid to escape through the breather duct. Only air can pass through the breather duct.
In addition to the breather duct, capillary size ports extend through the top of Harrison's reservoir. These can also be characterized as weep holes. A double-edge razor blade is captured by a cap intermediate the cap and the outer surface of the top of the reservoir. The blade is captured so that it overlies the capillary size ports in the top of the reservoir.
Once the reservoir is filled, the shaving liquid tends to fill the capillary size ports. Some of the shaving liquid passes through the capillary size ports and migrates into the interstices between the adjacent surfaces of the razor blade and outer surface of the top of the reservoir. As a result, Harrison discloses that a vacuum tends to build up in the reservoir as some of the liquid is fed through the capillary size ports so that an equilibrium is quickly reached tending to oppose further feed of the liquid through the capillary size ports.
However, the system is designed so that as soon as the person begins shaving, the razor blade will begin a small fluttering action between the cap and the top of the reservoir, whereby a small amount of shaving liquid will be pumped out of the reservoir, through the capillary size ports, past the interstices mentioned earlier, to the skin of the user. Thus, in order for Harrison's invention to be operable, Harrison requires a pumping action due to the fluttering of the razor blade in order to dispense liquid from his reservoir.
Nevertheless, the common characteristic of the prior art devices discussed heretofore is that the handle and razor engaging heads are affixed, with only the razor blade itself being a disposable component. Since the head is affixed to the handle, the head can be channeled, hollowed or otherwise constructed to conduct fluid to the blades.
The more commonly used razors on the market today use a blade carrying head that is disposable along with the razor blades carried thereby. The prior art cited above could not accommodate such disposable heads. Further, such razors having hollowed handles and/or heads plus additional means for facilitating flow are comparatively more complex than most disposable razors thus significantly more difficult to manufacture and accordingly more expensive to purchase. Also, the razors described above, though allegedly efficient in providing water to the user's face, do not address the problem of the wicking of separately applied lubricant from the user's face by the shaving cream applied thereto. Further, prior razors do not offer volume selectivity to accommodate variations in the heaviness of the user's beard which may require more or less water to perform the entire stroke. Also, the prior razors do not provide any control feature that enables the user to elect when, during the course of a stroke, the water will be released to activate the lubricant. The other systems also do not provide a means where by the water can be maintained with desired temperature as does this system which involves frequent refills.